Gadget & Tech News

Netflix Android app adds onscreen volume slider, Facebook integration (where available)

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:47:00 +0000

Now that Netflix is available on most Android devices and even sporting a fresh tablet interface, what’s there left to tweak? Plenty actually, and the company just pushed a new 1.7 version of the app that adds Facebook sharing and discovery in the countries where those features are enabled (read: not the US). Also new is a software volume slider for tablet users as shown above by Android Community, as well as tweaks for AV sync and resolution of some other tablet incompatibilities. HD streaming support for tablets will have to wait for another day, but for now users can grab the latest version from the Android Market at the link below.

Netflix Android app adds onscreen volume slider, Facebook integration (where available) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Android Community | Android Market | Email this | Comments

Original post by Richard Lawler

Facebook for Android update going live today, suggests Android 4.0 integration We already knew a much-needed update to Facebook’s Android app...
Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, Arc getting Android 2.3.3 update next week, Facebook integration in tow There’s still no confirmation as to when it will be...
Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, Arc getting Android 2.3.4 update next week, Facebook integration in tow There’s still no confirmation as to when it will be...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Unknown HTC phone running ICS pops up, looks Incredible

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:17:00 +0000

What’s this we have here? Well, clearly it’s an HTC phone, but it looks different to what we’ve seen before. If the pictures are to be believed, we’re looking at an Android 4.0 device with HTC’s Sense 4.0 on top. There’s LTE on board, and what looks like Verizon’s splash-screen, meaning there’s every reason to believe this is destined for the US. The rest of the specs suggest it’s packing a dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon processor, backed up by 1GB of RAM, Beats Audio and an 8-megapixel shooter. Given that the Rezound already purrs along on a 1.5GHz chip and that embossed backing looks oh-so familiar, it doesn’t seem out of line to wager this is the next-gen Incredible with a bump in clock speed. What also catches our eye is the inclusion of hardware buttons, leaving open the possibility that this might just be a prototype after all. We’re too not hopeful we’ll learn much more before MWC, but we’ll keep our eyes on the trail all the same.

Unknown HTC phone running ICS pops up, looks Incredible originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | PhoneArena | Email this | Comments

Original post by James Trew

Tizen OS exposed, apparently running on an unknown Samsung ‘I9500′ An outfit called Realnorth, which claims to be frustrated by...
Leaked sign confirms Droid Incredible 2 will be a world phone, launch is likely imminent We already had a pretty strong inkling that HTC’s poorly...
Leaked docs suggest Verizon Droid Incredible 2 will be a world phone HTC’s Droid Incredible 2 for Verizon hasn’t exactly been the...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

NEC Casio Medias LTE N-04D launches in Japan next week

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:46:00 +0000

It was mere weeks since we saw NEC’s last smartphone that will probably never take the plane ride away from Japan, but contrary to its recent financials, the company doesn’t appear to be letting up. The NEC Medias LTE N-04D, arriving on NTT DoCoMo, is a little chunkier than its predecessor, but that 11.6mm shell manages to squeeze in 4G connectivity and a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor Along LTE credentials, the specification reads like the majority of Medias phones we’ve already seen recently. This includes a waterproof shell, 4.3-inch 720p LCD screen, mobile wallet and TV tuner. It’ll also join the handful of smartphones compatible with Casio’s Bluetooth-connected G-Shock, adding mail and call notifications to your wrist. The phone will arrive February 15th in the tangy orange and black guise seen above. Japanese residents can now preorder theirs (while the rest of us gaze on wistfully) at the source below.

NEC Casio Medias LTE N-04D launches in Japan next week originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Akihabara News | NTT DoCoMo | Email this | Comments

Original post by Mat Smith

NTT DoCoMo launches NEC Medias ES N-05D: Is 6.7mm thin enough? Those NEC artisans have been at it again, shaving even...
NEC MEDIAS WP N-06C announced in Japan, shows off slimness with waterproof body Seriously, why does Japan get all the fun toys? The...
NEC’s MEDIAS N-04C is only 7.7mm thick, has Android 2.2, NFC, and no ambition to leave Japan It’s only been three months since the last avalanche of...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Phones 4u ‘JUMP’ plan lets you swap phones every six months, for a price

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:44:00 +0000

Britons! Dedicated followers of fashion! If your clothes are loud (but never square) and you’ve just gotta keep up with the latest trends, then Phones 4u should be your next stop. The independent phone retailer is offering customers JUMP (short for “Just Upgrade my Phone”): a 24-month deal that’ll let you upgrade your handset every six months. Rather than signing a vanilla deal with your carrier, you plump for a cheaper plan and then rent-to-buy the handset from the store. It’s a little more complicated — and costly — than your average contract, so keep a calculator handy as you try to follow the math (sorry, ‘maths’) after the break.

Continue reading Phones 4u ‘JUMP’ plan lets you swap phones every six months, for a price

Phones 4u ‘JUMP’ plan lets you swap phones every six months, for a price originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Original post by Daniel Cooper

xBounds adds HDMI mirroring to Android phones, lets you ‘kill the pigs’ on the big screen (video) Forget DLNA, that pesky setup requires all of your electronic...
Tired of your face? Use Face Swap to try your friend’s on for size Have you ever wondered what it would be like to...
Verizon releases Q4 results, sees jump in revenue, broadband subscribers, net loss Verizon has just come out with its Q4 results this...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Distro goes ‘Beyond the Revolution’ to explore tech in post-Mubarak Egypt

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:15:00 +0000

Nearly one year ago, dictator Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down after 18 consecutive days of protest by Egyptian citizens. Those demonstrations were organized largely through the use of social networking, cell phones and banned TV channels, a greater trend that permeated the revolutionary period now known as the Arab Spring. To mark the anniversary of Mubarak’s ousting, Sharif Sakr traveled to Egypt to speak with five Egyptians about the role that technology plays in their lives today. This issue of Distro also features reviews of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, Motorola’s Droid RAZR Maxx, Sony’s Alpha NEX-7 and a Q&A with the founder of the Ubuntu Project, Mark Shuttleworth. If you’ve been looking for a good reason to download an issue of Distro, look no further.

Distro Issue 27 PDF
Distro on the iTunes App Store
Distro in the Android Market
Distro APK (for sideloading)
Like Distro on Facebook
Follow Distro on Twitter

Distro goes ‘Beyond the Revolution’ to explore tech in post-Mubarak Egypt originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | iTunes, Android Market | Email this | Comments

Original post by Christopher Trout

Engadget Distro Issue 21 asks: ‘Will the revolution be portable?’ As the unstoppable avalanche of tech news that is CES...
Distro Issue 26: Smartwatch face-off, Ryan Block and more Are you ready for a showdown? You’re in luck! In...
Engadget Distro Issue 24: CES Roundup, OK Go’s Andy Ross and SOPA comic relief We’ve spent the past week recuperating and reflecting, and while...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Nokia N9 spotted running Ice Cream Sandwich, dual-boot in the works

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:37:00 +0000

This above is the first glimpse of Android 4.0 running on the Nokia N9. Yes, it looks like Ice Cream Sandwich is in being ported to the company’s iconic handset by no other than Alexey Roslyakov and team NITDroid — the folks who previously put Android on the Nokia N900. The project, which is still in its early stages, made significant progress after recently overcoming a framebuffer driver/HAL hurdle, allowing ICS to be displayed on the phone. In addition, a dual-boot solution is in the works letting Meego and Android 4.0 coexist on the device. We certainly can’t wait to experience using Ice Cream Sandwich on some of the hottest white hardware around. Can you?

Nokia N9 spotted running Ice Cream Sandwich, dual-boot in the works originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Steve Troughton-Smith (Twitter), Netbooknews | Alexey Roslyakov (Twitter), talk.maemo.org | Email this | Comments

Original post by Myriam Joire

Swype won’t initially be available on Ice Cream Sandwich, but it’s in the works Swipers won’t be swiping on Ice Cream Sandwich… at least,...
Ice Cream Sandwich-based CyanogenMod 9 in the works, slated for January release Ice Cream Sandwich’s source code has just been unleashed, which...
Swype getting official taste of Ice Cream Sandwich at the month’s end Global swipers didn’t respond well when they were told there’d...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Rogers One Number service offers free computer-based calls and texting, unified inbox

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:33:00 +0000

Got a Rogers wireless account? Then you can now take advantage of a new service that, for a change, won’t cost you anything extra. While it’s not quite a full-on Google Voice alternative, the company’s new Rogers One Number service will let you make phones calls, video calls, and send and receive text messages for free from your computer (Windows or Mac), as well as let you maintain a unified inbox and contact list across all of your devices (assuming you use Gmail or Yahoo Mail). You’re also able to switch a call from your cellphone to your computer without hanging up, and then turn that voice call into a video call if you choose, but your options are otherwise a bit limited on the mobile end; you can manage your contacts and such, but not use one number for multiple devices, or take advantage of free calling or texting. Rogers’ demo video can be found after the break, and you can get a more in-depth look courtesy of MobileSyrup’s hands-on at the link below.

[Thanks, Adam]

Continue reading Rogers One Number service offers free computer-based calls and texting, unified inbox

Rogers One Number service offers free computer-based calls and texting, unified inbox originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Rogers One Number, Rogers RedBoard | Email this | Comments

Original post by Donald Melanson

Samsung’s ChatON messaging service brings free texting to Android, iOS and BlackBerry (video) It looks like Samsung is about to dip its toes...
France ISP Free builds its own cellular network, offers free service to subscribers The fact that French ISP Free just began offering its...
Tango Networks offers cloud-based Google Voice integration to carriers Tango Networks is aiming to assuage the pain of US...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Sprint launches early upgrade promo, wants you to stay and chat awhile

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:29:00 +0000

In an industry where customer churn can be likened to the fearsome troll under the bridge, Sprint has launched a program designed to keep its favored subscribers around for another two years. While not everyone is eligible — those who’ve upgraded less than eight months ago, corporate outfits and those in collections need not inquire — the program lets customers buy their way out of their current commitment and become eligible for a new, subsidized handset. The promotion begins February 12th and is set to run through the 14th of March, where the amount you pay correlates to the time since your last upgrade. So if you’re currently pining for the Epic 4G Touch or the iPhone 4S, just and give your local Sprint store a call this Sunday. They just may be able to hook you up.

Continue reading Sprint launches early upgrade promo, wants you to stay and chat awhile

Sprint launches early upgrade promo, wants you to stay and chat awhile originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | SprintFeed | Email this | Comments

Original post by Zachary Lutz

Oops: Droid 4 makes an early appearance in Best Buy promo With its backlit keys and shaved corners, it could only...
Fring launches Playgrounds for group video chat with friends or randoms (video) We all remember kicking it in anonymous chat rooms masked...
AT&T bumps early-upgrade prices for all smartphones, reminds that patience is a virtue The two year contract is a blessing and a curse,...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Nokia Astound owners face a Belle-less future, no update coming

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:41:00 +0000

So this is where the road ends for the Nokia Astound. After getting a hearty helping of Symbian Anna in November, owners of T-Mobile’s first (and only) Symbian^3 device became hopeful that — despite the fate of the OS being sealed — the US counterpart to the C7 would remain relevant throughout the course of their contract. Sadly, it was not to be: the phone maker tweeted that the Astound won’t receive an update to ~~Symbian~~ Nokia Belle. What of the original C7, you ask? Oh, the latest refresh is already rolling out to users worldwide, but the Astound doesn’t appear to be invited to the party. Why? It would need to undergo an additional bout of carrier testing, which involves precious time and money that T-Mobile simply appears unwilling to dole out. This is speculation, of course, but we wouldn’t find it surprising in the least to see a US carrier shun a ten-month-old device running an OS with a less than promising future.

Nokia Astound owners face a Belle-less future, no update coming originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Unleash the Phones | Twitter | Email this | Comments

Original post by Brad Molen

Nokia teases February 8th for Symbian Belle update Looks like Nokia Vietnam wasn’t keeping its powder dry when...
Belle update arrives for compatible Nokia Symbian phones (video) The latest reformation of Symbian has started to appear for...
Nokia to announce Symbian Belle update on Wednesday, crafts a countdown timer Well, that must be embarrassing: Nokia gets a fancy countdown...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

HTC’s first ICS update rolls out in late March, Sensation and Sensation XE call first dibs

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:59:00 +0000

Ice Cream Sandwich is slowly trickling out to the masses, but we’re still waiting on the major phone vendors to come out with their own tweaks of the latest Android dessert. We’ve known that HTC’s busy plugging away at its Sense-ified version of Android 4.0, but the company’s finally ready to start discussing specifics. According to the outfit’s UK Facebook page, the update will begin rolling out to the HTC Sensation and Sensation XE by the end of March, with the Sensation XL following suit. Additionally, owners of the EVO 3D, Incredible S, Desire S and Desire HD still haven’t been forgotten, but their long-awaited upgrades to Ice Cream Sandwich will come sometime “later this year.” That sure narrows down the timeframe. Hopefully we won’t have to wait until the end of March to officially cast our eyes on the new Sense, as we’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll see some ICS love in new devices at Mobile World Congress later this month.

Update: HTC’s US Facebook page also announced the update, and added the Rezound, Vivid, Amaze 4G and EVO Design 4G to the list of devices that should receive ICS later this year.

[Thanks, Willy]

HTC’s first ICS update rolls out in late March, Sensation and Sensation XE call first dibs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Facebook (UK), (US) | Email this | Comments

Original post by Brad Molen

Sony details Xperia’s Ice Cream Sandwich progress, remains on track for late March kick-off Yes, Sony Ericsson has already gone about communicating its intention...
HTC Sensation puts on a white coat to match its Ice Cream Sandwich innards (updated) You may have already moved on to more Amaze-ing HTC...
HTC Sensation puts on a white coat to match its Ice Cream Sandwich innards You may have already moved on to more Amaze-ing HTC...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.